Butrint Historical Site

Website: http://www.butrint.org/

Hours: Daily 8:30am-6:00pm (seasonal variations; check local park office)

Admission: Entrance fees vary; Butrint National Park combined tickets typically charged (approx. €6-€10 for adults; prices vary by season and nationality)

Butrint is an extensive archaeological site and cultural landscape in southern Albania that preserves remains from Greek, Roman, Byzantine and later periods. It is recognized for the continuity of settlement and the quality of its preserved monuments.

The site includes a Hellenistic and Roman theatre, Byzantine baptistery with mosaic floors, Roman forum and baths, and a Venetian fortress set in a coastal lagoon. Walking routes and interpretive signage make it possible to follow the city’s development across periods and to view mosaics, columns and built fabric in situ.

The surrounding wetlands and lagoon are an integral part of the site, providing a strong sense of setting and ecological value alongside the archaeological remains. A small on-site museum displays finds recovered from excavations.

Founded in antiquity as a Greek settlement and later incorporated into the Roman world, Butrint continued as an important regional centre through Byzantine and Venetian times before decline in the later medieval era. Archaeological work in the 20th century has uncovered much of the visible remains.

Butrint lies in southern Albania near the Vivari Channel and the Ionian coast, close to the Albanian town of Sarandë and the tourist beaches of the region.

• UNESCO inscription: Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 for its outstanding evidence of successive Mediterranean civilizations and its intact archaeological landscape.
• Archaeology and ecology: Lies within a protected lagoon and wetland system, combining archaeological remains with a biodiverse coastal environment.

What to See#

• Archaeological monuments: The archaeological park contains a Greek-era theatre, Roman baths and forum remains, a well-preserved early Christian baptistery with mosaic floors, and a Venetian-era fortress overlooking the lagoon.
• Site museum: On-site museum that displays artefacts excavated from the site, including pottery, sculptures and inscriptions spanning Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods.

Butrint is about a 20-30 minute drive south from Sarandë; organized tours and local minibuses (furgons) run from Sarandë and Gjirokastër. The park entrance is signposted from the main coastal road (SH99) near Ksamil.

• Arrive early in the morning to avoid tour buses and to see the coastal light on the theatre and lagoon.
• Bring binoculars for birdlife in the surrounding wetlands; flamingos and herons are frequent visitors.
• Wear sturdy shoes - the site's paths are uneven and archaeological areas can be rocky.